Village Board votes to reestablish Bloomington Police Department and appoint Officer Small as chief

Village President Robert McLimans said the board voted unanimously Sept. 2 to reestablish the Bloomington Police Department and appoint Officer Small as police chief under the village appointment ordinance. McLimans said reactivation will allow Officer Small to use a village vehicle instead of a county cruiser, which the board said will reduce liability and give the officer more freedom to enforce village ordinances.

The board discussed three earlier options Officer Small had presented: maintain the status quo, contract with the county sheriff, or reestablish a village police force. Trustees said the department reactivation best met the village’s enforcement needs. Scott Daentl moved to reestablish the department and appoint Officer Small; Chasity Allen seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

McLimans reported administrative steps already in progress: setup of an ORI (agency identifying number) and Track S citation and records-management software, and assignment of badge number 850 with Grant County dispatch. He said the chief will take the customary oath of office and that the officer’s pay rate will remain the same for now but could be addressed during the 2026 budget process.

Daentl asked whether Grant County would be comfortable with the reestablishment; McLimans said there is no county contract and that attorney Woods had confirmed earlier that day there should be no contract conflict. Trustees agreed to monitor the transition and revisit staffing or pay issues as needed during budget deliberations. The board noted it would readdress progress with Officer Small at a future meeting.